In this episode, Samo Burja and Erik Torenberg discuss tech stagnation, drawing from Peter Thiel and Tyler Cowen's theories on technological progress rates with energy consumption as a metric. They also delve into Y Combinator and Andreessen Horowitz's influence and potential futures amidst differing views on tech slowdown, and they touch on regulatory, cultural, and economic bottlenecks. Head to https://brave.com/brave-ads/ and mention “MoZ” when signing up for a 25% discount on your first campaign.
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LINKS:
Samo’s Bismarck Brief: https://brief.bismarckanalysis.com/
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TIMESTAMPS:
(00:00) Intro
(00:35) What is Tech Stagnation?
(03:20) Exiting the Great Stagnation
(06:23) The Future is Already Here (But Not Evenly Distributed)
(08:19) Sponsor - Brave
(09:20) How Tech Culture Has Stagnated
(17:38) On Industrial Jargon
(22:50) The Importance of Clear Language in Tech
(24:08) Energy Consumption in Tech Progress
(27:23) The Critique of Energy Consumption as a Measure of Progress
(29:04) The Great Stagnation Debate
(31:01) Bottlenecks of Stagnation
(37:10) Y Combinator and the Software Slowdown
(47:26) The Future of Tech: Applying Software to Manufacturing
(48:54) Wrap
This show is produced by Turpentine: a network of podcasts, newsletters, and more, covering technology, business, and culture — all from the perspective of industry insiders and experts. We’re launching new shows every week, and we’re looking for industry-leading sponsors — if you think that might be you and your company, email us at erik@turpentine.co.
